Sea hare (Aplysia juliana)

[stanleo]

Little back story. I ordered a SW clam, a FW clam, an emerald crab and a Halimeda plant online Monday night and the order arrived Wednesday morning. Everything was alive and well but there was one problem. Instead of the Halimeda, they sent me a sea hare! I don't know how you confuse the 2 but that's what they sent.

Anyway I did a lot of research on them cause he was a beautiful animal and my LFS wouldn't take him. Took me all day to ID the species but I am pretty sure he is an Aplysia juliana. He uses the back of his foot more like a sucker and moves more like an inchworm than a slug. So this is what I found out. Feed him, a lot. There is not all that much algae for him to graze on so I am giving him one sheet of dried seaweed per day which he seems to love. He devours it in a couple hours. Have chemical filtration on the tank and my protein skimmer running perfectly, which is all done. They don't live very long only about a year. This specimen is 5 inches long so I am thinking he is already well into his life cycle. To feed it, I put the seaweed in a rounded clip next to him and watch him go to town. He goes right after the food so he's eating well. Behaviorally, he spends most of the day at the top of the glass either in the back corner or the front corner. He comes down for a couple hours later in the day to graze on the rock or the glass. He also has this funny habit of while he is attached to the top of the glass, he stretches out in the water and puts his rhinophores up to the surface.

Couple questions:
Am I feeding him enough?

Do you agree with species ID?

Do you think his behavior is normal?

Is any of the info I provided incorrect?

Do you have any other info on these to share? I am trying to get as much info as I can.

Here is the pic

 

[TJ's Reef]

Without pulling any reference books couldn't verify your ID but behavior and feeding spot-on, they are the ultimate 'Algae Eating Machine' I had a friend in Honolulu send me several Hawaiian Common Sea Hares a couple years back for when my tank was running 'Fallow' and was simply amazed at the speed in which they cleared the Hair Algae from system. I was able to re-home a few but others slowly faded/shrunk away once algae was no longer present. They are definitely very interesting and even entertaining to observe. And way more COOL than Halimeda....lol

Cheers, Todd

 

[stanleo]

Figure I would give an update on this guy. He is doing great! When he was first put in for a couple days he was very lathargic. I found out my salinity was 1.030 because I used a swing arm. On day 3 he must have gotten used to it and started exploring all over the tank and eating. He eats a seaweed sheet in about an hour. After I found out about the salinity I fixed it too fast in about 2 days and he got lathargic about. But just like before after a couple days he is now going everywhere. He is a little speed demon! For a slug that is. He eats almost nonstop and just takes short breaks now and then to sleep and poop. And he poops a lot. Almost everytime I watch him I see little mouse sized turds on a string coming from his you know what. I love him. I think he might live a long and healthy life. For a slug!

 

[Reefing Madness]